By Jim Cavan

KITTERY – Kittery residents got a firsthand glimpse at the prospects and paybacks of going green with a Solar Open House at the new energy efficient development, Devon Woods. The event was hosted by ReVision Energy, a Portland-based solar company that has recently expanded its reach into the Seacoast area. The Open House, attended by over 30 residents, builders, and local green activists, was touted as a forum for people to pitch questions to real “alternative engineers” about the costs, performance, and long-term
payback of different solar systems.

Located off of Wilson road a mile or so beyond the Kittery Outlets, Devon Woods meanders through a well-preserved forest of pines into a series of courts peppered by quaint but elegant Cape-style homes. Last October, one of the lots was purchased by Kate and Mike Ketschek, who recently relocated back to the East coast from Montana. After first moving to a temporary residence in Exeter, the Ketschek’s began their search for a new home knowing they wanted it to include some sustainable components. According to Kate, it all started with some simple online research about local solar companies.

“After looking at a few companies, Mike came across ReVision. We talked to Fortunat Mueller one of the owners and we were really impressed with his passion and knowledge,” said Ketschek. “He helped us explore the system that best suited us, working with us on financing, and really just made everything as simple as possible.”

The house utilizes singular solar tubes, situated on either side of the roof, which power a hot water heater located in the basement garage. The system is designed to cover the home’s domestic hot water usage, and will allow the boiler to remain off during the non heating months (typically May through October). If the energy saved isn’t enough to heat the water during the winter, there is a small propane unit which serves as the backup. Additionally, the Ketschek’s had Revision install wiring for a future PV or solar electric system, a step that will allow them to generate electricity for other household uses beyond domestic hot water.

ReVision engineer Will Kessler, who helped install the Ketschek’s first system, thinks the charming red Cape is well suited for a more expansive system in the future. “What’s great about houses in this community is that they are contained and really quite conducive to efficient heating,” said Kessler. “Hopefully others in the neighborhood will see what Kate and Mike have done and plan to do in the future, and realize that it really makes sense, both financially as well as in terms of energy efficiency.”

The development, which is being managed by Chinburg Builders Inc., features cozy Cape- inspired homes with an “open-concept” feel. Geoff Spitzer, a Chinburg employee who was involved in the project, was approached by the couple to build something that was both sustainable and affordable. “Essentially they started by looking in a specific price range, and initially all they were finding were old houses that required a lot of work,” says Spitzer. “After their realtor mentioned Devon Woods, Eric (Chinburg) and I sat down with them and came up with something that was the right combination of size, lot price and energy options that fit. So it was really an ideal combination of events.”

The Devon Woods development offers homes built to Energy Star standards; they require and consume far less energy than typical residences. According to Spizter, the goal is for all future homes in the development to meet Energy Star standards.

ReVision plans on organizing more open-houses in the future. To learn more about ReVision’s services and to learn about future open houses in the area, visit www.revisionenergy.com